Week of « Prev | Next »
1-20 of 27 items « Prev | Next »
Game of Thrones Star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Wme’s Randy Orton, To Attend Middle East Comic Con (Exclusive)
1 hour ago
“Game of Thrones” Kingslayer Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, WWE superstar Randy Orton, and cult sci-fi actress Summer Glau (“Firefly,” “Serenity,” “Castle”) are among new names added to a high-profile roster of guests recruited to attend the fifth Middle East Film and Comic Con to be held in Dubai April 7-9.
They join previously announced Deadpool co-creator Fabian Nicieza, veteran sci-fi and fantasy pics star Christopher Lloyd (“Back to the Future”) and Stan Lee, who created pretty much every major superhero in the Marvel Universe. Lee will appear in a live link-up from L.A.
Also making the trek to the growing event billed as the leading pop culture festival in the Middle East is prolific screenwriter Max Landis who penned the script for hot upcoming Will Smith pic “Bright.” And American comic book writer and artist Whilce Portico, known for titles such as “The Punisher,” “Uncanny X-Men,” “Iron Man,” “Wetworks” and “Spawn. »
- Nick Vivarelli
Taiwan’s Catchplay Launches Asian Movie Streaming Service
2 hours ago
Taiwan-based film distributor and producer, Catchplay is launching a video-streaming service that it hopes will take on rival platforms in Asia and reverse piracy. Its Catchplay On Demand service launches initially in Taiwan, with Singapore and Indonesia set to follow in the second quarter of the year.
The company, which through a deal with New Regency, is one of the financiers of “The Revenant,” says the new service has a mix of content that has more new releases than rival platforms and delivers them quicker. It will be available in transactional video on demand and subscription VoD modes.
“In recent years, Catchplay has quietly and purposefully expanded its business from theatrical distribution to film financing and production, aggregating digital content for many leading digital platforms and the operation of our own movie channel,” said Harvey Chang, Catchplay chairman in a statement. “Today we launch our new digital platform that extends »
- Patrick Frater
Film Review: ‘Thank You for Playing’
3 hours ago
Ryan and Amy Green designed their video game “That Dragon, Cancer” with a highly unusual purpose in mind: not to amuse or entertain, but rather to capture and demystify what it’s like to care for a terminally ill child. That experience is accessed on an even more intimate level in David Osit and Malika Zouhali-Worrall’s “Thank You for Playing,” a documentary that works as both an emotional portrait of a slow-motion family tragedy and a slippery inquiry into the therapeutic properties of making art. Raising, but not always answering, difficult questions about the advisability of coping with grief through the creative process, this alternately poignant and perplexing film is presently in limited theatrical release, and is set to air on PBS’ “Pov” series later this year.
One would have to play it to be sure, but based purely on the abundant footage we see here, “That Dragon, Cancer »
- Justin Chang
Adam Sandler, David Spade Netflix Comedy ‘The Do-Over’ Gets Release Date, First Teaser
10 hours ago
Netflix is promising plenty of low-brow gags in the teaser trailer for “The Do-Over,” courtesy of Adam Sandler and David Spade.
The footage features plenty of gun play, car crashes, jumping off massive cliffs, young women in skimpy bikinis on the beach and repartee between the stars as Sandler and Spade decide to fake their own deaths.
“You sure about this, tough guy?” Sandler asks. “F— yeah,” a typically laid-back Spade replies.
The streaming service is releasing “The Do-Over” on May 27. Sandler and Spade starred in Netflix’s Western spoof “The Ridiculous 6” with Spade portraying General George Custer.
“Netflix got Ridiculous,” the trailer notes. “Now this Memorial Day, the madness continues.”
Besides “The Ridiculous Six,” Sandler and Spade also teamed on “Saturday Night Live” between 1992 and 1995 and on the “Grown-Ups” movies.
“The Do-Over” is directed by Steven Brill, who also helmed “Little Nicky” and “Mr. Deeds.” The ensemble cast also includes Paula Patton, »
- Dave McNary
Elisabeth Shue Joins Emma Stone in Fox Searchlight’s ‘Battle of the Sexes’ (Exclusive)
10 hours ago
Elisabeth Shue has signed on to join the cast of Fox Searchlight’s “Battle of the Sexes,” starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell.
Andrea Riseborough is also on board with “Little Miss Sunshine” filmmakers Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris directing from a script by Simon Beaufoy.
Danny Boyle is producing under his Decibel Films banner along with Christian Colson and his company Cloud Eight.
The movie will follow the competition between tennis pros Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, which captured the zeitgeist back in 1973, when at 29, the No. 2 ranked King beat the 55-year-old retired former Wimbledon champion Riggs. Shue will play Riggs’ wife in the pic, with Carell playing Riggs and Stone playing King.
“Battle of the Sexes” is one of three projects revolving around the infamous tennis match; the other two are HBO and Playtone’s “Proof,” which stars Elizabeth Banks and Paul Giamatti, and Chernin Entertainment and »
- Justin Kroll
Next ‘Divergent’ Sequel Sticks With Summer Release Despite ‘Allegiant’s’ Box Office Troubles
11 hours ago
“Ascendant,” the fourth and final film in the troubled “Divergent” franchise, will open against two of the biggest films of the summer of 2017.
Despite the box office struggles of “Allegiant,” Lionsgate, the studio behind the young adult series, still plans to debut the film on June 9, 2017, where it will face stiff competition from Paramount’s “World War Z 2” and Universal’s reboot of “The Mummy,” starring Tom Cruise.
The studio plans to go ahead with an early summer shoot for “Ascendant,” starring Shailene Woodley, despite a disappointing $29 million opening weekend at the U.S. box office for “Allegiant.” The third film opened more than 40% less than the launches for “Divergent” and “Insurgent,” the first two films. The first two took in nearly $300 million each in 2014 and 2015; “Allegiant” will probably finish with $200 million at best.
Jeff Bock, analyst at Exhibitor Relations, told Variety on Monday that he questioned the strategy of »
- Dave McNary and Brent Lang
Julie Delpy: ‘I Don’t Want to Be in My Films Anymore, I’m Sick of Myself’
11 hours ago
For “Lolo,” her sixth film as director, Julie Delpy has created a dark comedy perfectly suited to her talents. The offbeat farce stars Danny Boon as Jean-Rene, a recently divorced father who falls for Violette (Delpy), a driven but neurotic producer in the fashion industry. The main problem is Violette’s 19-year-old son, the titular Lolo (Vincent Lacoste), a brilliant but disturbed youth who will go to great lengths to keep the couple apart.
The comedy is by turns sweet and vulgar, kept on track thanks to Delpy’s assured hand. A two-time Oscar nominee for co-scripting “Before Sunset” and “Before Midnight,” she also co-wrote the “Lolo” screenplay with Eugénie Grandval. The outspoken actress talked to Variety about making the film, working with actresses and how she’s not opposed to making special effects-driven blockbusters.
Congratulations on the film; I love movies about bad seed children.
It’s funny you »
- Jenelle Riley
World Soundtrack Awards Introduce TV Work to Festivities
11 hours ago
For its 16th edition, the World Soundtrack Awards will introduce a new award: best original score for television series & miniseries, to be featured side by side with the program’s traditional emphasis on film music. The reconfigured ceremony, which is the culmination of Belgium’s Film Fest Ghent, is now being held in two phases: the World Soundtrack Awards Gala, to be held Oct 19, and the Wsa Concert on Oct. 20.
“We’re in a unique, unprecedented position,” said fest artistic director Patrick Duynslaegher in a statement. “There’s so much good and great to chose from in this new Golden Age of TV that’s attracting high-profile directors, writers and actors, but also composers. Now that television series have developed ever more sophisticated storytelling to match anything in cinema, we want to recognize the contribution of the composer to this exciting and addictive art form.”
For the two-pronged ceremony, the »
- Steve Chagollan
Garrett Hedlund, Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke and Jason Mitchell to Star in ‘Mudbound’ (Exclusive)
11 hours ago
Garrett Hedlund, Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke and Jason Mitchell are in negotiations to star in the indie drama “Mudbound.”
“Bessie” director Dee Rees is directing the film. Cassian Elwes (Elevated), Charles King (Macro), Kim Roth, Sally Jo Effenson Chris Lemole, Tim Zajaros and Carl Effenson are producing. Poppy Hanks will exec produce. MacRo will co-finance with Zeal. Good Universe is selling foreign rights.
Virgil Williams (“Criminal Minds”) penned the screenplay based on Hillary Jordan’s 2008 novel of the same name. It revolves around a city worker in a WWII-torn country who relocates his family to a failing Mississippi farm and is forced to overcome insurmountable hardships, including his brother’s return from war.
No distributor is currently attached, with producers planning to showcase the package in the coming weeks.
Former Wme partner King launched the media venture MacRo in 2015. The entertainment company is focused on premium content creation, distribution and engagement for African-American, »
- Justin Kroll
Susan Sarandon to Be Honored With CinemaCon Award
13 hours ago
Susan Sarandon will be honored with CinemaCon’s Cinema Icon Award.
The prize will be presented to the actress at the conference’s Big Screen Achievement Awards ceremony on April 14 at Caesars Palace, it was announced on Monday.
Sarandon received Oscar nominations for her roles in “Atlantic City” (1980), “Thelma and Louise” (1991), “Lorenzo’s Oil” (1992) and “The Client” (1994). She nabbed her first Oscar in 1996 for her performance as Sister Helen Prejean in the crime drama “Dead Man Walking.” Sarandon has also acted on television, starring in the HBO TV movies “Bernard and Doris” (2006) and “You Don’t Know Jack” (2010), and guest starring on hit shows such as “Friends,” “Mike & Molly,” “Malcolm in the Middle” and “30 Rock.” Sarandon stars alongside Rose Byrne in the upcoming dramedy “The Meddler,” which hits theaters on April 22.
“Since making her feature film debut in 1970’s ‘Joe,’ Susan Sarandon has brought some of the most unforgettable and »
- Alyssa Sage
‘The Perfect Guy’ Star Michael Ealy Joins ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ Reboot
13 hours ago
“The Perfect Guy” star Michael Ealy has been attached to Ld Entertainment’s reboot of supernatural thriller “Jacob’s Ladder.”
The reboot is a modern-day paranoid action thriller about two brothers. David Rosenthal, who directed Ealy in “The Perfect Guy,” is set to direct.
Producers are Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon and Jennifer Monroe at Ld Entertainment; Alison Rosenzweig and Michael Gaeta of Gaeta/Rosenzweig Films; and Will Packer via his Will Packer Productions banner.
Will Packer Productions’ James F. Lopez will executive produce.
The script was written by Jeff Buhler (“Pet Cemetery”) and Sarah Thorp (“The Bounty Hunter”). The project was originally sold as a pitch by Jake Wade Wall.
Principal photography is set to begin mid-May.
The original “Jacob’s Ladder” was released in 1990 and directed by Adrian Lyne, written and produced by Bruce Joel Rubin and starred Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Peña and Danny Aiello.
Robbins played the titular Jacob, »
- Dave McNary
‘Batman v Superman’ Swoops Into Snapchat Video Channel
14 hours ago
Warner Bros.’ marketing budget for “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” has included a few spins around Snapchat.
The WB-sponsored “Batman v Superman” channel on Snapchat’s Discover, launched Monday, will run for a 24-hour in a handful of countries and regions including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, Germany, France, Brazil and the Netherlands. The film opens worldwide this Friday, March 25.
The movie’s placement in Snapchat Discover comes after the studio ran a four-day campaign of sponsored selfie lenses — two for Batman, one for Superman and one for Wonder Woman — which let users adopt the guise of one of the superheroes.
Hollywood marketing execs have been lured by Snapchat’s more than 100 million active users, who skew toward millennial age demos and younger. Last fall, Sony sponsored a Snapchat Discover channel for the latest James Bond film, “Spectre,” while 20th Century Fox bought a 24-hour run »
- Todd Spangler
Lily Collins to Star in Marti Noxon’s Anorexia Comedy ‘To the Bone’
15 hours ago
British actress Lily Collins will star in Marti Noxon’s dark comedy “To the Bone,” with Bonnie Curtis, Julie Lynn and Karina Miller producing.
“To the Bone” is inspired by Noxon’s own struggles with anorexia. Variety reported on March 15 that she would direct from her own script.
“I’m incredibly honored to be part of such a powerful story of love, self-doubt, and the courage it takes to fight for survival. I believe this film has the potential to shine a light on something that’s becoming more prevalent within our society every day and let those suffering know they’re not alone,” said Collins.
Lynn and Curtis of Mockingbird Pictures will produce along with Miller, who is also financing through her company Sparkhouse Media. Principal photography will commence at the end of March in Los Angeles.
Sparkhouse Media is a newly launched Los Angeles-based production and finance company »
- Dave McNary
Emma Stone to Star in Black List Script ‘Letters From Rosemary’ (Exclusive)
15 hours ago
Emma Stone is attached to star in the Black List spec script “Letters From Rosemary.”
The script tells the story of Rose Marie “Rosemary” Kennedy, the first born daughter to Rose Fitzgerald and Joseph Kennedy, Sr., and the eldest sister of President John F. Kennedy and senators Robert F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy. After displaying behavioral problems that caused her to fall behind accolades of her siblings due to a mental disability that was long kept secret, Joseph Kennedy arranged one of the first prefrontal lobotomies for her at age 23.
The procedure failed and left her permanently incapacitated. The spec, written by first timer Nick Yarborough, will take a look at broad look at the moments leading up to the procedure and how it affected the family going forward.
Steve Golin and Doug Wald of Anonymous Content, whose “Spotlight” just took the top prize at the Oscars, will produce the project. »
- Justin Kroll
SXSW: Grappling With Technology and Violence, On Screen and Off
15 hours ago
SXSW 2016 began with a moment of triumphant, traffic-stopping fanfare: President Obama was flown into Austin to deliver a speech about the onward march of technology and its potential to improve lives, but also the care and caution with which it must be exercised. Nine days later the festival ended on a sharp note of unease, with gunshots fired in the air on one of its most crowded avenues — an isolated one-man incident that passed mercifully without death or injury. Yet it couldn’t help but shatter the nerves of attendees who had no doubt grown accustomed, like most Americans, to the frightening ease with which gun violence and mass panic can appear in a public setting.
Neither of these two bookending incidents was directly tied to the film strand of SXSW, though it’s surely no accident that the strongest movie I saw in Austin last week seemed to speak to both of them, »
- Justin Chang
DreamWorks Animation Taps Terry Curtin as Theatrical Publicity Head
16 hours ago
DreamWorks Animation has tapped Terry Curtin as head of theatrical publicity.
She joins the company from Stx Entertainment, the newly formed studio behind the “The Gift” and “Hardcore Henry,” where she was head of strategic marketing and global communications. Curtin is a veteran executive, having done stints at Universal, 20th Century Fox and Disney. She also had senior leadership roles at Revolution Studios, MGM/UA and Relativity Media.
Robin Chandler, who previously served as head of theatrical publicity, will step down from her role in order to launch an independent consulting practice. DreamWorks Animation will be a client, the studio said.
Curtin joins DreamWorks Animation on April 11. She comes aboard as the studio behind “Shrek” and “How to Train Your Dragon” is in rebuilding mode. Following a series of film flops such as “Penguins of Madagascar” and “Turbo,” the company went through a management shakeup and layoffs, reducing its staff »
- Brent Lang
Discovery, Nos Ink Olympic Games TV Deal
17 hours ago
Paris — Dutch broadcaster Nos has secured TV and multiplatform broadcast rights to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games from Discovery Communications.
The pact will allow Nos to sub-licence the rights from Discovery, which owns Eurosport and holds exclusive multimedia rights to the Olympic Games for 50 countries and territories in Europe through 2024. As such, Nos viewers will gain access to both the 2018 PyeongChang and 2020 Tokyo Games across multiple platforms.
Eurosport, meanwhile, retains exclusive live rights to the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games, including ice hockey for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games . Nos will be able to broadcast the highlights.
Through this agreement with Nos, Discovery aims to expand viewership for the Olympic Games across an unprecedented number of screens and digital products in Europe.
“This agreement with Nos marks another important Olympic Games partnership deal by Discovery, bringing Discovery another step closer on our ambition to deliver more coverage across more screens than ever before, »
- Elsa Keslassy
Nate Parker Launching Film School at Wiley College
18 hours ago
“The Birth of a Nation” filmmaker Nate Parker is launching a film school at Wiley College in Texas, with plans for classes to open in the fall.
Parker told reporters over the weekend that the school in East Texas will offer a comprehensive approach to being a filmmaker.
“The hope is that we cover all aspects of filmmaking, from sound, lighting and cinematography, to just studying film specifically with the cultural component and the history of film,” Parker said in an interview with The Root.
“You control the moving picture, you control the masses. So really getting them rallied around the idea of reclaiming the narrative of America, specifically through the eyes of people of color,” Parker continued.
Parker’s starred in the 2007 film “The Great Debaters,” which was set at the college in 1930. He used the college’s a capella choir for the soundtrack of his Sundance hit “The Birth of a Nation. »
- Dave McNary
India-China Films Prominent on Bollywood Studio Trinity Pictures’ Slate
19 hours ago
Kabir Khan, director of 2015 blockbuster “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” that starred Salman Khan and grossed $93 million worldwide, will direct an Indo-China co-production for Trinity Pictures.
Trinity was set up by Indian studio Eros International with a view to producing franchise features. Khan’s as-yet-untitled film will star Indian and Chinese A-listers and will be shot in both Hindi and Mandarin. Trinity describes the film as “a human drama exploring the central character’s journey from India to China.”
Trinity is also planning another Indo-Chinese co-production. Both are with a leading Chinese studio, the identity of which has not been revealed.
Other films on the Trinity slate, all untitled so far, include an action film focusing on a child secret agent by Amole Gupte (“Stanley’s Tiffin Box”); a spy thriller from Siddharth Anand (“Bang Bang”); an elephant themed tale in the Hindi and Tamil versions from Prabhu Solomon (“Kayal”); and a buddy »
- Naman Ramachandran
‘Allegiant’ Stumbles, Lionsgate Stock Slides on Faltering ‘Divergent’ Series
19 hours ago
Lionsgate shares are under pressure this morning after “Allegiant,” the third film in the “Divergent” franchise, stumbled at the box office, opening to a lackluster $29 million.
That represented a 44% drop from the debut of “Insurgent” at $52.3 million debut in 2015, and a 46% decline from the first “Divergent’s” $54.6 million launch in 2014. Lionsgate’s stock was down roughly 3% in early morning trading at just under $22.
The poor showing raises questions about the commercial viability of the fourth and final “Divergent” film, “Ascendant,” currently scheduled to debut in June 2017, when it will face off against heavy hitters such as “World War Z 2” and a reboot of “The Mummy.”
“It’s kind of asking to get clocked,” said Matthew Harrigan, an analyst with Wunderlich Securities.
“Allegiant’s” headaches comes at a bad time for the company. Last month, the studio saw its ambitions to transform “Gods of Egypt” into a new franchises dashed after the $140 million fantasy adventure collapsed, »
- Brent Lang
1-20 of 27 items « Prev | Next »